April 13, 1976 – November 12, 2003
For those who are claiming I have misspelled his name, I would like to share a scan of his toe tag with you. The Los Angeles County Coroner has confirmed with me that, “The name on the toe tag was taken from the initial report by the law enforcement agency. He was later positively identified by his CA driver’s license and his full name and correct spelling was entered into the Coroner database. We strive to have correct information on all cases, but sometimes by the time we have the real deal, we have already printed documents that become the permanent record.” With that in mind, his name is now corrected.
Many thanks to our friends at Celebrity Collectables, who provided the autopsy report for this story. Thanks Ted, you guys are too generous to us.
On Wednesday the 12th of November 2003, a kid by the name of Jonathan Brandis killed himself. He never made a huge impression on the entertainment world – (I’ve since been corrected, apparently he was hugely famous and got loads of fan mail.). I only know him coz he was the kid that stuttered in the scary clown TV movie, IT.
He did several other things, which you can see here.
For some reason his death really struck a chord with a lot of people. I’ve never received more email after a celebrity death. My theory is that since he was so young (27) that a lot of people around that age or younger are just now dealing with thoughts of their own mortality. At least that’s all I can come up with. I remember the first time someone I knew was killed, I walked around like a zombie for about a month. Weird how things affect.
He lived in a cool old apartment building just off Wilshire Boulevard,
that had a front door that looked like a drawbridge.
To visit him, no doubt you rang this doorbell.
He lived on the second floor.
So Brandis… I guess he was having a bad life, certainly a bad day. According to his mom he went out to dinner with friends, then they went back to his apartment. His friends reported that he seemed to be agitated, and pacing around quite a bit. He left the room, and about 15 minutes later one of his friends went looking for him, and found him. He was hanging by a nylon rope, in the second floor hallway of this building. His friends cut him down, and called paramedics. Despite efforts, he was pronounced dead at Cedars Sinai Medical Center, 2:44pm.
Kevin Hassell comes thru and provides us with Brandis’ Death Certificate. Thank you Kevin!
He was wearing a pair of Diesel Jeans, white-blue-green and red Tommy boxers, and white socks.
Background: according to his mother, he had no prior suicide attempts, drank socially, quit smoking over two years prior, and did not abuse drugs. There were no personal problems, except for the fact that he could be quite hard on himself. Somewhere, something was definitely wrong.
The paramedics claimed to smell alcohol in his vomit, but forensics found that there were no drugs at all, and only .03% alcohol. So he was in clear thought when he offed himself. He must have been one sad individual.
He was cremated, and given to his family. There was a vacancy the day I was there.
I wonder…
Wanna see his mailbox?
A few weeks ago, I went out on my Sunday morning bike ride to take photographs for Findadeath. See? My devotion never ends. Well, I completely blame Ashton Kutcher for breaking my camera when it jumped out of my hands to photograph his dumb restaurant that day. I took photographs for this story, but none came out – so I had to wait until today to take replacement pictures. But before I screwed up my camera, I managed a few pictures of the La Brea tar pits,
which are really impressive.
In fact, I was sorta surprised to see real tar seeping out of the sidewalks.
Learn something new every day.
What I don’t understand is, it said it was a Nylon rope. Wouldn’t that break with his weight? And the other thing is, so he just grabbed a rope from in his apartment and walked past his friends with it and put the door? That makes no sense.
JFC this comment section is a train wreck! Some of y’all need to calm the f down and quit with the conspiracies. People get depressed and take their own lives every single day. But because this kid tasted fame and money y’all think it couldn’t have been suicide? Puhlease.
No sorry people do, celebrities do not kill themselves. They get taken out or fake their death
Wtf?! Ok so Robin Williams, Ernest Hemingway, Chester Bennington, Chris Cornell, Margot Kidder, Freddie Prinze, Ray Combs, Don Cornelius, Del Shannon, Peg Entwistle, etc. all were killed by some vast f’ing conspiracy?? My god get your head outta your ass!!! You nutters and your Qanon lizard people new world order shit need to get some help already!!
Actually, it’s not conspiracy theory with many of those you mentioned, especially Bennington and Cornell and Cobain. I have definite proof of 2 of the 3 but you will never know. Lol. Carry on
Right. Well, I’m sort-of an unofficial expert on this mysterious case. And every time I go back and refresh my memory of the events of that situation, the conclusion I always come to is that I don’t think he killed himself, not by his own volition. The physics alone in the autopsy report, basically make no sense in a suicide sense.
I did find the last photo taken of him though. At least, what I suspect IS the last photo taken of him alive. I’ll try to add it as the website link, at the end.
In the photo, he looked… well, I’m not sure if it was pissed or sad. But I’ve seen it floating around, at least since like last year. There’s more though. If you print out the photo at CVS Photo, you’ll notice that the clothing pretty much matches what he was said to have been wearing, except for like, the shirt. Also, I could swear that the bruising the coroner mentioned around his lip/nose was present in the photo too.
A few other curious bits of info, that I feel might be relevant to any other armchair sleuths. First, a camera went missing from Leo DiCaprio’s annual birthday bash like, the night before Jon died, and back in the day some thought some photos of Jon were on it. Also, Leo had a curious guest or two at his party that year, and word is people noticed that. I don’t want to get into more than just the facts, but Leo knew at least three guys on the bloody sex offender registry, and one or more was invited and was seen attending the party that year. Steven Marshall, the executive producer of Growing Pains was arrested for child pornography in 2010 and was sentenced to 7.5 years in prison. Brian Peck and also Leo DiCaprio’s former publicist Bob Villard are kinda creeptacular, and there’s several articles about them and other people who Leo kept in contact with who were at best, sketchy. The sad thing is, that back in the day…. everyone growing up around that time, knew who everyone else was. I was once told, that some comments were made in Jon’s presence that night, about Leo’s other… guests. In what exact context, I wish I knew. Only that he was seen to be in a foul mood during the party.
Jon was always one to take things personally, he was also his own harshest critic. If anyone said anything negative about him or to him, he’d stew on that. He also may never have acted on suicidal feelings, but he’s talked before about having had depression before. It’s one reason he started that advice column, as a teen. Let’s Get Through It Together. Always thought that if he were alive today, he’d have been on YT, doing something helpful like that.
Once, I saw a man TRY to hang himself. Fortunately, he was unsuccessful. But as I said before, the physics in the report never made sense. If a body was going downward, the force would be on the front of the neck. And yet Jon’s cause of death was a small blood clot and bruise on the BACK of his neck, normally attributed to a whiplash or car crash event. Where the back of his head connected with the knot of the noose. I may not be a physics major, but if a body was dropped down, the head would bend back and then jerk forward with the abrupt stop down, causing more bruising to the front of the neck and possibly damage to the trachea and so on. But if a body was being LIFTED UP, and in a sudden way… I’m sorry, but the neck would go forward then SNAP BACK suddenly. Against the knot of the noose, causing the small bruising and likely the blood clot which lead to the lack of oxygen to the brain.
That, if nothing else… always leaves me with a hell of a lot of questions and wonderment why it was closed so damn quickly.
Hey,idk if you’ll reply but imma reply to you because I’m curious. Since last year I’ve tried to find things out about this death because I’m a fan of Jon and also it just didn’t fully sit right with me some of the things I did manage to find. I also know that there was an autopsy of his on the internet maybe around 2013 because when searching someone made a comment about how they read it but weirdly I myself have not found an autopsy OR a clear version at that, I’m assuming you’ve seen it but I’m not sure on how recent, if so where did you get yours? I’d be really interested to see it. You said a few things didn’t add up for you and I’d love to hear them. I’m intrigued I’ve been following it too and thought of myself as a bit of an expert too but I’m missing a lot of info because I simply haven’t been able to find it. So many people have made theories as to why he did what he did. On one thread I saw someone say that it’s thought to be rumoured that he was “joking” and the joke went wrong but a lot and I mean a lot of people have said how they find it all a little fishy and there’s deffo something more to it and i agree. People have also always brought up Leo/Leo’s group of friends and put a bit of the blame on him and never went into why they have so thank you for giving a back story on that a little
Oh, my.
So sad that this young man died at a very young age.
He had a lot to live for.
Many cute child actors grow up to be plain-looking adults with regular jobs. It must be tough to have fame at a young age and then have to transition into a non-celebrity adult life, but they do it, at least most of them do, except Brandis.
I know you can read this Jonathan, i just want you to know that i will always love you, you are forever in my heart. I am always here for you if you ever want to be by my side. I pray for that moment where i am blessed by your presence. I will never forget you and i will never give up hope of finally meeting you some day. I love you mate. xoxoxo
He’s dead. You won’t meet him. You can like an actor all you want but you’re talking a little cray cray right now buddy.
I have to agree. That was a little… curious. BTW, given the body of work left by the late Mr. Brandis, I have to be a little suspicious of grown men who identify as fans. God rest his tormented soul, he wasn’t exactly Richard Burton or Anthony Hopkins. Rarely (never) has anyone ever finished watching a film and said “That was FANTASTIC! But you know what? It would have been even better with the late Jonathan Brandis in the starring role!”
Oh, my.
Only at: findadeath.com
Financial ruin?
Career ruin?
Losing looks?
Romantic relationship(s)?
Mixing medications?
Secret mental illness?
Secret terminal illness?
Secret substance addiction struggles?
Secret sexual orientation struggles?
Whatever the real reason(s) is; he will be remembered always and forever.
I also can’t help but wonder if he’d still be here had George Lucas chose Jonathan Brandis’ audition over Hayden Christensen’s for the role of Anakin in Star Wars…
If he decided to lull himself because he lost out on an acting gig then he was never mentally sound to begin with.
Hey I’m confused. Idk if anyone will see my comment but does anyone have a clearer photograph of the death certificate because from what I can see it says where I’m assuming it says age of death, the number there is 57?? So is there any clearer pics of this anywhere and something married which I can not work out. Any replies would be appreciated 🙂
Maya, it looks like it reads “NEVER MARRIED,” to me, although the N in Never almost looks like an S because of the blur of the type. I agree that the age box almost looks like 57, but I think that is the result of the same blurring of the type as in the marital status, as his DOB is clearly listed as 4/13/1976.
I always thought maybe he’d hoped someone would hear and save him? Maybe it was a cry for help? Maybe he really didn’t mean it?….. Maybe he did. Maybe he was tired?…. I’ve been on both sides. You just never know what someone is thinking when they’ve had enough.
May God rest his sweet soul. Whatever he was going through, he was done. He was tired? He was broken. We are in no place to judge. He is finally at peace. Please leave him be. Let him rest in peace. ❤️🌹
God bless you, Carrie. You are a sweet person. Steve
This whole thing seems sketchy to me. First, who commits suicide by hanging with a group of friends in their apartment? Second, how did the friends not know what he was doing…I don’t go to my friends house and hang out, without my friend there….so how did they hang out in his apartment while he was hanging in the hallway? What the hell were they doing inside his apartment if he wasn’t in there, too? And why didn’t any check on him (it was his apartment) until so much later….this is so odd, because most people don’t commit suicide like this.
Really? If I’m at a friend’s house and they leave to use the bathroom, go on a beer run, change clothes etc. I stay. It’s not uncommon, especially for close friends. They obviously didn’t know what he was about to do. Maybe they thought he stepped outside to smoke or for something fresh air?
A lot of stars friends aren’t really friends. They’re more like people that want to have a good time on their dime. I can totally see no one even realizing he wasn’t there because they were selfishly partying in his apartment.
@ S. Williams. You’re correct, one person knows.
That’s the man they cut down from the rafters after he took his own life.
Look, I’m not being crude. But conspiracy theories help nobody.
From a psychological standpoint (yes I have a degree in the subject):
Most people don’t want to believe stars can possibly be clinically depressed behind closed doors. They’re taught to believe the American dream (fame, fortune, flexible jobs, setting your own schedule) is no better represented than in movie stardom. When a young star kills him or herself, it’s beyond fathom for regular people.
How could somebody be living the American dream AND hate their life?
But, here’s the truth: young people thrust into that position at 10-11-12 years old are often too young to understand the finite nature of any job.
For Mr. Brandis, imagine how he felt looking at his former prom date (Brittany Murphy) or Leonardo getting ADULT roles while he struggled for—any—relevance.
Couple that with the fact that very few of the projects he fronted remained hyper relevant for a long period of time (ie people always remembered him)….and, if he always felt he had a career waiting for him, at a minimum, chances are his adult life were a—massive—comedown.
This is a kid who, just 10 years prior, fronted a nationally syndicated TV show….and, when he died, he was so irrelevant, his scenes were being dropped from films.
That’s not something that happens to Brad Pitt or Tom Cruise.
It’s something that happens to has beens or role players.
This is not to blame his suicide solely on his career, rather to point out he could have quietly contemplated self harm for months and, perhaps impulsively, dared himself to go through with it.
Once the moment came, he quickly lept, ending whatever he was going through and taking any further thought about it away.
Whether or not he would do it over we will never know, but that seems far more like what people should be discussing instead of thinking there’s some deeper outside mystery here.
I feel sorry for this kid. I remember him from It when it first aired. Only now did I realize he was dead after looking him up and reading his history.
He is just one of many who went from a notable child/teenager draw to rather obscure adult actor with average looks and marginal acting chops. Maybe he wanted more or had some deeper issues outside his career, but his death was most certainly his own doing….and not some coverup.
leapt
Thank you for being one of the very few sane people in these comments Gil.
noticed harts war had noted his scenes were deleted and that was right around his death and wondered if that was his tipping pioint.
Just to note above comment is because I remember reading that he became severely depressed after he got almost completely cut out of Hart’s War.
I fell i love with this guy. My heart would melt when he smiled, when he spoke. I am a guy by the way. 9 months older and living on the other side of the world. I wish i were his friend. I would have given him so much love and attention. I adored him so much. I miss him so much. I hope i finally get to join him someday on the other side.
Please Daniel, you need to rearrange your thinking about this subject. Idk how old you are, but you’re hoping about something that’s not going to happen. You are romanticizing about a person who’s no longer alive, and you cannot possibly know what he needed. Don’t think about living AFTER death. Think about living NOW, in the present among the land of the living. A fanciful fantasy is just that; a FANTASY. Visit JW.Org and find real hope…
I remember hearing and seeing all about this on TV and radio. I was and still am a fan of Jonathan. I Don’t understand this suicide. Nobody heard anything at all. You would think somebody would have heard someone rather it was the beam/raffter breaking, the chair/stool falling, Jonathan chocking,gagging. It has to be more to this than what we know. Another thing how did nobody see him tie the rope to the beam or see it hanging. It was right outside his apartment building. The people there with him that night know the real truth but they won’t come forth. RIP gorgeous angel and if somebody did this to you may they be punished for life.
One dead wanker!!!!!!
Johnny Morys ‘One Dead Wanker’. Yes, that would look great on your gravestone and the perfect title for your obituary when your time comes. Idiot.
I agree, Ethan. Obviously a very sad human being who will die sad and alone himself.
I loved watching his movies and tv show. I believe I knew when he was dead. I saw the news. I don’t remember crying, I just remember being angry 😡. I loved his work. I new he would come back as an actor because he was a damn good actor.
There has always been something off about Jonathan Brandis supposed suicide. First off, how in the world was he able to prepare his rope, get on some stool or chair (or whatever he used) and then take his life without anyone from the nearby apartments hearing the noise and commotion from the pipes/banister being pulled down or cracked from the force of his falling body weight where tied the rope, the kicking and vomitting enduced from the sudden chocking effect and seeing a young man hanging lifeless in their hallway? What about viewing the security cameras in and outside the building to verify how things really went down for his parents’ peace of mind? Where did he have that rope without his friends noticing it in his hands? Too many questions about this one and it was very under investigated. Those friends that were with him that night know the real truth and will take it to there graves, unfortunately. :'(
that’s so sad omg even worse that if he did it 🙁
Shut up you shouldn’t be saying that what if one my family members passed away of suicide and we said that about your family member that died how would you feel😡
I agree something isn’t adding up about this one.
I lived in that apartment building at the time of Jonathan’s death. Oddly, I don’t recall ever seeing him or passing him in the hallway or in the laundry room or anywhere else. I crossed paths with everyone — I thought — who lived there in the five years that I did. My apartment was on the 1st floor, front left. Apt. 101…
In 2003, I was working on an episodic TV show at the time, so I was out the door early every morning and wouldn’t get home ’til late every night. I do recall the night I came home and there were firetrucks and paramedics in front of our building. It must have been the night he died. However, no one ever came to my apartment to ask any questions and no one in the building ever discussed what happened with me. In the photo above inside the apartment, my apartment is (was) the one on the left next to that fire alarm box. I miss that place….
At some point after Jonathan died, I was cornered by the Manager of the building while coming back from the laundry room. His name was Dan Dyer. Dan was a very chatty Cathy who, once you got into a conversation with him, you were stuck for a good 4-5 minutes. He was a good dude though. When he stopped me this time, he wanted to talk about Jonathan’s death. I told him I didn’t know Jonathan, and he was like, “Sure you did. You were good friends with him.” I told him he was mistaken, and I had never met him. But Dan insisted I knew him and was surprised I was denying it. I insisted I didn’t know him. Regardless, Dan told me he had seen the “crime scene” before the police arrived, and was convinced it was murder.
Dan was kind of a conspiracy theorist and said from what he saw, he knew it wasn’t suicide. Dan claimed to have some experience in law enforcement or security or something of that nature, but again, since I didn’t know Jonathan I didn’t really care about the details of his passing. I still found it kinda creepy that someone had died in my building. Dan was convinced it wasn’t suicide, though. Sadly, Dan passed away around 2007-8…
I know none of this means anything anymore, but it may stoke some of your curiosities about Jonathan’s passing. There are some who believe it wasn’t suicide…
I’ve always thought it wasn’t suicide.
hello sir maybe you are not going to see my message but I was very interested in what you explained to us as you said your friend Dan to talk about the fact that it was not a suicide but an assassination but many people say he was in depression. and that he was the one who committed suicide but since your friend Dan had a gift and he said it was someone who murdered him I have so much doubt I know it’s true because he’d never tell you I think but then I wish I knew who would do such a thing can- be that he wasn’t feeling well but I don’t think he would have done that and did you know if they made any inquiries? thank you sir have a good day
Hi Giulia-
Thank you for the reply. I don’t know if Dan had a “gift” but he felt that Jonathan’s death was at the hands of someone else. Again, I wasn’t familiar with Jonathan’s mindset at the time — having never met him — but I did know that building. It was built in 1939, had very high ceilings (10′?) in the apartments and the hallways. I believe that’s where Jonathan was found…in the hallway. I’m not going to conjecture on whether he killed himself or not, but I think Dan’s theory was the pipes in the hallway were too high for anyone to hang themself. Again, I never investigated Jonathan’s death, so I don’t know if there was a chair found beneath the body, or something like that. But for whatever reason, Dan was sure it was murder. And since he saw the crime scene first — or nearly first, because, TBH, I don’t know who found the body — he thought he knew what happened.
I can’t comment on Jonathan’s depression, because A) I didn’t know him and B) I’m not really sympathetic to people who kill themself because of depression…especially if you’re an actor in Hollywood. Everyone in Hollywood knows you need to have thick skin and be able to take rejection if you pursue acting. If Jonathan suddenly found his future wasn’t as bright as it was in his teenage years, he could have/should have found a way to solve that, or change professions, or get some help. And who knows if alcohol or drugs played a part. Regardless, suicide is never the answer…
He also liked writing and directing, and he could’ve simply changed his profession if he thought that his career wasn’t as bright as before. Ever since I knew about this “suicide” it never sounded right to me…
While you’re certainly entitled to your opinion, just be aware that saying (or writing) things like “I’m not sympathetic towards people who kill themselves because of depression” is one of the major reasons many people with depression don’t tell anyone of their feelings and seemingly kill themselves out of the blue. Depression is an illness just like cancer. Arguably, it’s far more crippling as most people don’t tell someone with cancer to just get over it. Seeking help is difficult because of attitudes like yours. It takes little to no effort to show compassion or simply not speak about topics you don’t care to understand.
That said, Jonathan’s parents and friends – people that really knew him and not the pricks who ran to People magazine right away – have said his career had nothing to do with his death. That’s all speculation from people who didn’t know him and are grasping. In retrospect, Jonathan’s parents and friends realized he likely had manic depression for which he never sought treatment because he thought he could deal with it. It wasn’t Accutane or satanic bullshit or repressed memories of being molested. His brain chemistry was skewed. Jonathan had been working since he was two. He knew how the business worked and wasn’t caught up in recapturing whatever teen idol fame he had. Other people may have been, but he couldn’t have cared less. He was an artist who loved film and filmmaking and had much more to offer than what he was allowed to give at that point. The more I see and hear of people, the more convinced I become that we don’t deserve to see what people like Jonathan possessed.
Lastly, “Dan” was full of beans or something much more unappealing. Jonathan didn’t hang himself from the pipes outside of his apartment door. It was a wooden beam which was within reach and could easily support him.
How long did Jonathan live there bc it said he died in 2013 and you said that Dan died on 07/08? I’m confused or I read it wrong?
I’m going to tell you right now what I believe happened to Jonathan. He’s another victim of disgusting satanic Hollyweird and that pedo Steven Spielberg. My psychic senses tell me that Jonathan Brandis was killed because he knew too much and he was a good person. They destroyed his soul and I’m sure he was done the same way they all abused and used Corey Haim. All this is now coming to light for a reason. These people deserve justice for them being “suicided”. It’s a lie – they were killed by the powers that control all the pedo Hollywood rings.
Yeah that’s what it is. A mass conspiracy and cover up by Steven Spielberg. Did you know that his true form is actually the alien from E.T.? Which by the way wasn’t actually a “movie”, but a documentary about Steven Spielberg since he’s a satanic alien sent to earth to molest then kill child actors……..I mean to “suicided” them. 🙄🙄🙄🙄
Yeah – Hollywood is a healthy, wholesome, happy place where dark things don’t happen. Think Satanism doesn’t exist in L.A.? Check out the scene there. I did. Cured me if my interest very quickly.
I think that satanism exists mostly in your mind. Just let it go.
Stephen , Tom Hanks , David Geffen , Charlie Sheen , ARE prolific and feared pedos they are responsible for many many deaths in hollyweird and many many lives ruined , if we knew the truth we would probably never recover.
I don’t know about Hollyweird or Spielberg being involved but g*d damn it some body was and some body knows and some body needs to come out’ with what they know for the sake of their own sanity and well being and help this young man and his family with some real’ closure.
I am so tired of you small minded FOOLS who are hung up on this conspiracy nonsense about pedi rings and ridiculous satanic cults. I happen to be married to the brother of one of the leading FBI cult investigators and you can 100% rest assured, there is NO organized satanic pedo cults running Hollywood. This has been more thourouhly investigated than the Kennedy assasination and it DOES NOT EXIST !
You idiots are just people with very low IQs , a very gullible nature, over active imagination, nothing better to do, bored , lives an unexciting life and enjoys fantasy so you get caught up in this craziness. It just makes you look so stupid. Cut it out bc youre making other gullible dummied believe the same thing. Its pure nonsense. Quit watching Fox Fake “News”
I could not have said it better ^. You go Karen, very intelligent reply.
Thanks for your input MR SPIELBERG but we all know what you are 😉
I have often thought of why Johnathon Brandis’ suicide has affected me over the years. He had an almost naivete’ that came through in a lot of characters that he played, a basic goodness. I think the transition to adulthood & adult roles didn’t pan out for him. I remember reading that his part in Hart’s War (a Bruce Willis/Colin Farell vehicle) ended up mostly on the cutting room floor. That was his transition to more mature roles. I think what is sad to me is thinking what could have been for him both personally & professionally, had he gotten some help, had he lived. I think Johnathon Brandis, through everything I’ve seen was a good soul. Such a loss. It saddens me whenever I come across a story on him.
Good guess Sean, you might be right.
“He had an almost naivete’ that came through in a lot of characters that he played, a basic goodness”
I’ve read the autopsy. MULTIPLE TIMES, thank-you. To be completely candid, while it covers the facts of the complications which led to his death VERY well, there are several curious facts about the incident itself, which I always felt were uninvestigated/unexplained. I think the investigation was wrapped up too neatly as a suicide case, and I have spent many quiet years with a nagging feeling that how his neck went into that rope, has more of a story to it than we know of. It’s little things, but to this day going over that autopsy never added up to a suicide, in my head. Or in my heart.
One thought I would like to point out that I haven’t seen anyone mention yet is that he chose to end his life at age 27, on 11/11, and quite possibly at 11:11pm (the time is purely speculation, but friends called the paramedics at 11:40). According to everything I have read about him, he grew up in the spotlight and had big dreams, had a pretty big following of crazed female fans, and had a fairly long and serious relationship with another celebrity (Tatyana Ali). In an interview when he was 18, he commented on fellow actor friends who hit a tough time with no work in over a year. According to accounts I’ve read online, he was said to be depressed about his career fizzling out, and aside from that, his relationship had ended and he was said to be lonely. Everyone knows about the so-called “27 Club” of extremely talented actors and musicians who died tragically at that age; friends said he seemed agitated the night of his death. My thought is that perhaps he was in a deep private despair, aware that he had reached age 27 and he wasn’t where he had expected himself to be in life, maybe in his eyes a teen idol that didn’t quite make it, and very likely may have decided to immortalize himself by joining the club at 11/11 (the date he hanged himself) at 11:11 (my own speculation). I don’t know why his death affected me so much as I wasn’t a huge fan of his movies or acting, but there was something about him. It haunts me to think that quite possibly, even this final move he made to end his life would have been to him a failure; the impact he had in mind was lost on the world, as his suicide attempt did not end his life until the following day, 11/12. Just a sad theory that I wanted to share sympathetically but hope I’m wrong about.
Are there photos of the actual scene? Morbid curiosity!
Just wondering where’s the picture of his toe with the tag on it? And also why wasn’t there an open casket memorial service so we can all see him ?? To me it all seems like there’s something else going on,, like maybe what if he faked he’s death. What if he was tired of all the fame and just wanted to live a normal life. Just wondering .
The site that hosted the toe tag photo might have expired but I have seen it, maybe try google images for it. He was cremated and his parents didn’t think it necessary for a memorial service as sadly Jonathan had largely been forgotten by mainstream media and the public by then, after he died it took people weeks sometimes over a year to realise… so you had people in 2004 saying hmm I wonder what J Brandis is up to these days.. then they found his obituary. I would probably say his death was not faked as I have read the autopsy report and I highly doubt the physicians would have faked that.. what gain would there have been for them? It would be nice if it was true and he was still living but we all think that when someone dies. Sadly Jonathan is no longer with us and all we can do is rewatch the work he was involved in and admire the amount of effort he went to and reflect on how sad it is when former child actors struggle with the transition into adult acting.
Thanks for letting me know – although the toe tag is a scan thats many years old, I put it back on the page.
I’m going to bet none of you have ever experienced the actual suicide of a close person to you or wrestled with suicidal thoughts yourself, all of it is very possible and could’ve been planned out days before in preparation which is usually how it goes. I know all of you watch too
Many movies and think you know how it is, but it’s nothing like that at all. Usually if someone is going to kill themselves no one knows about it at all because that then ruins their plans… so stop analyzing someone’s brain at their lowest
Point it’s pathetic and disrespectful
Seriously? Not everything in the world is a conspiracy. Criminy, where do you people get this stuff? You all need meds.
Oh, FFS. Calm down, Dawn. Conspiracy theories go hand in hand with “shocking” celebrity deaths. No need to condescendingly scream for meds. I don’t get the need of some to even exert this effort. Just walk on by….🙄
No I think it’s you that needs to calm down Mere Laveau. Everyone on here thinks “there’s no way he could’ve done it. He was too pretty or popular or awesome to want to kill himself”. And that’s because all of you so called fans won’t let him Rest In Peace. He killed himself. There’s no conspiracy, no cover up, no murder. He was a kid who was unhappy and decided to end it. It happens every f’ing day in this world. But because it was someone that y’all loved (for some reason) you can’t accept it!!
Maybe his family didn’t want a open casket.
Well the fans wanted to see him so screw what his family wanted! Didn’t you know that closed casket = cover up. He wasn’t in the casket. He wanted to start a new life. So he now lives in New Zealand giving surfing lessons.
That’s sarcasm btw.